ST. BLAISE 87 



might be. Every winner of the Derby is lucky 

 to win. But Porter's contention is — and who that 

 has intelligently considered the subject can deny its 

 force ? — that such a trial as we have recited pointed 

 to the winner's pulling off nine Derbys out of ten. 

 Without dwelling on any other feature, it may be 

 pointed out that St. Blaise was a good bit in front 

 of the winners respectively of the previous Derby 

 and Oaks, and was beating them, they carrying 

 less than weight for age. Men who had lost their 

 money, and others whose reputation for foresight 

 was impaired by the result, scrupled not to declare 

 that certain of the horses behind the winner did 

 not try. 'It was ever thus!' And what is the 

 character of a jockey after all — to the base coiners 

 of such reckless aspersions ? One wonders what 

 such persons would have said if they had been 

 familiar with the ins and outs of the preliminary 

 ' Kingsclere Derby.' Of one thing we may assure 

 ourselves, and that is, assuming their intelligence, 

 they would have been on the winner to a man ! 

 No horse could have been ridden more admirably 

 than St. Blaise was by Charles Wood. He took 

 skilful and courageous advantage of 'just an opening ' 

 at Tattenham Corner, and that advantage he never 

 relinquished. It was a splendid race, and a disp^y of 

 masterly horsemanship to be remembered. St. Blaise 

 was taken to France and lost the Grand Prix by 

 1 half a neck,' Frontin lowering his colours. He was 

 not at his best on that day. He had 'a Derby in 

 him,' and he was not, like The Ranger, as fit after as 



